


Masks 1

by yalltookmyusernameideas



Series: Mask AU [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Episode: Accepting Anxiety, mask au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 03:02:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21190481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yalltookmyusernameideas/pseuds/yalltookmyusernameideas
Summary: Anxiety shares his name with Roman, but he doesn’t take off his mask. In the morning, Roman doesn’t remember.





	Masks 1

It was late. Far too late for any reasonable side to be up. So of course, Anxiety and Roman were having a stare down in the kitchen. Anxiety stood frozen near the coffee pot, Roman stopped, open mouthed at the entrance.

After what felt like hours, Anxiety spoke. “Coffee?”

Roman blinked to clear his mind. “I- wha?”

“Do you want coffee? Yes or no? It’s not a hard question, Princey.” Anxiety mocked.

Roman huffed. “Not from the likes of you. I don’t even know what you _look like,_ how can I trust you to prepare a beverage? One that I would have to _consume_, no less!”

Anxiety scoffed. “Whatever. I’ve got my bean juice and command of the kitchen. You’re at a disadvantage.” He smirked.

Roman rolled his eyes. “Whatever, Count Woe-laf.” He said, heading towards the other side. “Move over. I’m gonna make myself some toast.”

“With Logan’s Crofter’s?” Anxiety asked. Roman was sure he’d be raising a skeptical eyebrow if not for that damned mask.

“Yes, and what of it?” Roman challenged.

Instead of getting worried or angry like Roman had suspected, Anxiety’s posture relaxed, a small grin gracing his features. “You mind toasting for two?” He asked.

Roman’s shocked expression quickly turned to one of glee. “Oh, not at all!”

Soon, the toast was done and the jelly was spread. They sat at the table, and yeah, it was a little awkward, but Roman thought it was… nice? He was actually having a conversation with Anxiety for a change. None of that drama they played up for the cameras, none of those crazy and admittedly harsh insults, just some light banter and gentle pokes at one another.

Roman smiled. “Y’know, Anxiety, I dare say I’m actually _enjoying_ talking to you. Can you imagine?”

Anxiety let out a huff of a laugh, smiling softly, and if Roman was being honest, that smile looked really nice on him. He found himself wishing he could see how it lit up his features, so that he could commit it to memory, have a better way to remember this softer side of Anxiety. He found himself smiling back, lost in his thoughts, doing his best to memorize that smile.

Memory…

Roman’s smile faded, and Anxiety was quick to notice.

“Yo, Princey, what’s the matter? Dragon steal your damsel?”

Roman snorted. “You could say that.” He replied.

“Oh?” Anxiety asked, a curious lilt to his tone.

“Yeah…” Roman sighed, running a hand through his hair. When Anxiety didn’t respond, Roman looked up. Anxiety gestured for him to continue.

“It’s just… are you gonna have me remember seeing you like this?” Roman asked, already knowing the answer.

Anxiety bit his lip. “...probably not.” He confessed after a moment, not meeting Roman’s eyes.

Roman nodded. He wasn't upset. Who knows, maybe he’s had interactions like this with Anxiety before, but he’d never been able to remember.

“That… that’s okay.” Roman admitted.

Anxiety looked up, emotions for once matching the expression on his mask. The permanently knitted eyebrows conveyed his confusion perfectly.

Roman shrugged, expression melancholy. “I may not like it, but… I guess I get it. You’ve gotta protect yourself.” He sounded sad.

Anxiety gave a sad little smile. “I, uh… thanks. Even if you won’t remember, just… thanks. I… I think we could get along, eventually.”

Roman smiled. “I do too, Anxiety. Whenever you’re ready.”

“Virgil.”

Roman’s eyes widened, shocked. “What?”

Anxiety grimaced. “...Virgil. It’s… it’s my name. Even if you won’t remember, you can use it for the rest of the night, yeah?” Anxiety asked, sounding small and nervous, not at all like the snarky caffeine addict of a half hour ago.

Roman’s smile reappeared on his face. “Yeah, Virgil. I can do that.”

Virgil’s smile grew ever so slightly as the two of them talked into the wee hours of the morning. When they finally decided to head to bed, Roman lingered just a moment.

“Virgil?” He called, sounding a little apprehensive but otherwise just like his extravagant self.

Virgil turned around at his door. “Yeah, Princey?”

Roman hesitated. “...I’ll do my best to be your friend, even if I don’t remember this. When you’re ready.” He promised.

Virgil smiled, playfully bumping their shoulders. “Thanks, Roman. I’ll do my part then, too.”

Then they went to bed, both sleeping soundly.

In the morning, it was as if nothing had changed. Patton was making breakfast. Logan was scrolling through the news and sipping his morning coffee, slightly annoyed that he had to have his toast with butter, as someone had finished his Crofter’s. Roman was loudly serenading anyone who would listen, ignoring Logan’s glares. He hadn’t finished the jelly, why was the nerd blaming him?!

Anxiety appeared in the entryway, ready to fetch his coffee and bolt.

“Oh, and Dr. Gloom is finally up.” Roman said, voice dripping with displeasure.

Anxiety glared from behind his mask, not retaliating with a snarky comment, not trusting his voice.

_“When you’re ready, Virgil.”_

Virgil took a deep breath as he climbed the stairs back to his room, whispering to himself.

“When I’m ready.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, your feedback is appreciated!  
This is from the Mask AU series I'm doing on Tumblr, @yalltookmyurlideas. There's more world building and whatnot over there!!


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